more WIPs than FOs ... C'est la vie

January in Montana is feeling a whole lot like SPRING. It's really weird and while I love the sunny days, I am also missing the snow that I know we should be receiving this time of year.

I have been working on many WIPs.

I finished my first one at a time sock! I know why two at a time appeals to me, because I can be willy nilly about the leg length, or if I want to make my toe this pointy instead of that. I can just knit it how I like and not give a second thought to those measurements. But with one at a time, I am forcing myself to keep diligent notes to help with the second sock. It will drive me crazy if one has a longer leg than the other. That said, I am really enjoying the process of these socks :) I have definitely become a ginormous Crazy Zauberball fan!!

After finishing the first, I immediately cast on the second sock:

 

and then I cast on three new projects... :):):)

The first is Socks on a Plane by Laura Linneman, in A Yarn Loving Mama's Volcano of Love sock yarn:

I am so in love with this yarn!! All of the speckles make me so happy! I am also enjoying this pattern very much! They are my first cabled socks and I am cabling without a needle, oh yeah! I learned how to from Leethal Knits tutorial. It has made me so excited about cables that I can't wait to knit more this way.

stitch marker by AYLM too, isn't it so pretty?

These socks were unplanned and not on my 2014 socks list... but I couldn't resist the KAL on IG and Rav for them!! They will probably take me through February to complete. I am planning to do my first Fish Lips Kiss Heel on them. I am always the last to the party on trends but I am very excited to try this heel!


The second cast on is a Hitchhiker in my handspun!!

It was spun during the Tour de Fleece in 2013. It is 100% merino and I have about 372 yards. I might use another handspun to finish, because I'm sure I will run out of yarn. This is my first project knitting with my handspun and it is so wonderful. I love knowing I spun the yarn...and the idea still trips me up sometimes.

I haven't made much progress on my third cast on because I ended up frogging what I had knit and going down a needle size, but I will tell you that it is a test knit! And I am using more kool-aid dyed yarn.


As far as finished objects, I have two!

Pattern: The Weasley Homestead by Erica Lueder
Yarn: KP Bare handdyed with Kool-Aid
Needles: 2.25 mm TAAT
Modifications: none


I also finished my first ever cross stitch sampler:

Woo hoo!!! It is the Woodland Sampler by the Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery. I adore it. I framed and hung it over my yarn stash, next to a photo of my gram. It was not in my budget to have this professionally framed, so I bought a frame that holds three 5x7" photos, removed the matting, and it fits perfectly. It took a little ironing to keep the edges tucked in. yay!


One last thing, we tried this recipe from Skinnytaste last week...it is so good I made them again:

sweet potato Irish nachos.......... :)

yumm-o! 



What have you been up to? xx

Tonight is Scotch whiskey and a Psych marathon...doesn't get much better!

I have gotten such a great response to my 2014 sock list! It's really awesome hearing from others, and it sounds like there are quite a few who will be planning their own list :) that said...I have already changed February's pattern. At this moment (haha!), it is no longer True Love by Chrissy Gardiner but Monkey by Cookie A, another pattern that I really love.

Lately I have been working on this lovely sock:



It is my first Crazy Zauberball and I LOVE it! The colors are amazing!! I am also knitting this pair one at a time, another first for me. The main reason for this choice is because I love how the yarn is already wound! If I knit them two at a time, I would have to rewind. Another reason is I have been very curious about what it feels like to knit just one sock by itself. And I'm enjoying it so much!!




There is some relief in reaching the end of a row and knowing I just turn and keep knitting, no second sock to worry about. One sock seems so much more portable too. I am not worried about having second sock syndrome...this yarn is so pretty and I am loving the mindless knitting.




I am still (slowly) working on the Weasley Homestead socks:




Last week I was just working on the heel flaps and now I am about two-three inches away from decreasing the toes:




My third WIP is a cross stitch project!



It is the Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery's Once Upon a Time Sampler!!! eeeee! It is a year long mystery pattern, with a new part of the sampler released once a month! And it's fairy tale themed! ♥ ♥ ♥




I am not very far along, I have worked a little bit of the inner grids, and am now stitching the top part of the border. Then I will stitch January's little section and border! seriously so excited...I love fairy tales!


Last postI mentioned my second finished object of 2014, which is a Great Divide Shawl. Finally, photos!


 

Ravelry page
Yarn: madelinetosh dk in Robin's Egg and Black Currant
Needles: US 8
Modifications: none! well, I did run out of my main color during the final garter edge, so I finished knitting it with the contrast color.




I love this pattern! I love wearing this shawl! It is so cozy and squishy. Every time I wear it I receive compliments. love love love!


Enjoy your week, my friends!
xx



ETA: flickr is changing some things, and for the past two posts when I shared a photo, you would see the iframe...and it was driving me nuts!!! I figured out how to post just the photo and not the iframe. Thanks for bearing with me!!  xx

2014: a year in socks

Happy New Year!! I hope it has been treating all of you very well. So far my January has been very inspiring and hopeful. I hope I can make it last! :)

Right now I am knitting Weasley Homestead socks by Erica Lueder:


The yarn is stuff I handdyed with Kool-aid! I am really pleased with how these are knitting up; I wasn't too sure on the color at first, but the colors combined with the pattern.......ooooooh!


Since the new year began, I have finished two objects. yeah!!



Pattern: Afterthought Heels by Laura Linneman
Yarn: String Theory Colorworks Tachyon Self Striping in Helix Nebula
Needles: Magic loop on 2.25 mm 40" cable
Cast on: December 23, 2013

Learning to make an afterthought heel has been in my to do list for quite some time. I love when all the stripes line up. And these were soooo easy to do! Very eye-pleasing with not a lot of effort :)


My second FO is currently blocking; it is a Great Divide shawl. I started it in September 2013, so it feels awesome having it completed. I will take photos as soon as possible!! I already know I love it. I knit it with Madeline Tosh dk...... ♥ ♥ ♥


Have you heard about the Knitting Resolutions KAL that My Sister's Knitter is hosting??

via My Sister's Knitter

Firstly, these are the best KALs I've ever participated in. Andi is an awesome host, and the Ravelry group is full of the most supportive crafters :) and secondly, all of the KALs have been very inspiring!

so, my goals:

1. Knit 13 pairs of socks
2. Knit up more stashed yarn, including handspun!
3. Learn to Navajo ply
4. Buy a darning egg and fix that white pair of socks
5. Organize craft room
6. Frog Rockefeller, reskein and wash yarn ... I will never wear this shawl
7. Knit mom an afghan
8. Knit dad a pair of socks
9. Finish WIPs, I think I have about four
10. Read 50 books

there are several more, but they are pretty unrelated to this blog so I won't mention them :)

 

To help knit thirteen pairs of socks, I spent my morning organizing and going through both my Ravelry library and queue, combing patterns I have been dying to knit. I really want to knit new patterns this year. There is nothing wrong with Hermione's Everyday socks, but they are my go to pattern when I don't know what to knit, and I would like more variety!! hehe :)

I created a 2014 tab in my queue with eleven sock patterns (ideally one per month!):

January: is my current WIP, Weasley Homestead
February: True Love by Chrissy Gardiner
March: Shur'tugal by Alice Yu
April: Cadence Socks by verybusymonkey  (I want to try this pattern again since I frogged my first try)
May: School Pick Up Line Socks by Lisa Beth Houchins 
June: (open)
July: Devil's Snare Socks by Erica Lueder
August: Waving Lace Socks by Evelyn A. Clark
September: Merripog Socks by Jennifer Hagan
October: Boo! Toe-Up Socks by Emily B. Miller
November: "Little Pumpkins" Socks by Sabine Ruppert
December: On-Hold Socks by Wendy D. Johnson
floating socks (that I might work on between other sock patterns):  another stripey pair of AfterThought Heel Socks by Laura Linneman. and there will more than likely be Hermione's too...because I can't help myself

The above photo are skeins I would like to knit into socks this year, and many of them have been "assigned" to a monthly sock pattern. I am sure there will be changes to this list during the year; I will really just use it as a guideline. But I am already looking forward to all of these patterns...some have been in my queue for years!! It feels really good to have a plan for them finally :)

I really hope planning a year's worth of socks pays off! It will give me something to look forward to each month. It will help use up stash. It forces me to use patterns I've been collecting...and ogling :) 

that's it from me, I hope everyone has a wonderful week!! xx

ups and downs, but mostly ups :)

Goodness gracious! I will try to not go so long without posting!!

Since my last post I have finished two pairs of socks:



Surprise! It's Hermione's Everyday socks (my third pair this year! I never get tired of this pattern) The yarn is Liberty's Yarn Jabbersocky in the colorway Agatha. I purchased it from a friend's Rav destash. I really love the colors and the sort-of-stripes! I found the yarn to be a tad splitty though.




This pair was a sock knitting record for me, I knit them in just five days! They were for a Harry Potter Sock KAL (please join us!!) :) doesn't that sound like the best thing ever? The pattern is Petunia Dursley's Double Eyelet Socks by Erica Lueder. I wanted to knit them after seeing Andi's pair (she is the best enabler!) It is a great pattern and despite the eyelets, very easy to memorize. I wrote about the yarn in the last post; it did not take long for me to cast on :) I loooove this pair of socks ♥ 

Right after finishing I cast on a new pair of Christmas socks, but I wasn't feeling the yarn and pattern together. And since then, I have been working back and forth between Hue Shift Afghan and Pendulum... one day they will both be finished.


I knit this little guy for my book club's holiday party:



what luck that it snowed the day I finished him :) I used Rebecca Danger's basic peanut body and improvised his accessories. It was our second year having a gift swap and it was so fun! We each made a gift and played White Elephant (while eating lots of yummy food). There was some dirty gift stealing but all good fun :)


On another note, I consider myself a very lucky person. I try to be good and do good, and like to think that it always comes back to me. But I know bad things happen all the time, regardless.



I woke up last week to this. It makes me sad because the person didn't leave a note, not even just to say they were sorry. I am so thankful that my car is still safe to drive (I had it looked at), and with my parents' help, I can replace this one at some point.

But you know what? I am just so happy to have my loved ones. I have been missing my grandma so much lately... it just helps put the important things at the top. I have made many wonderful relationships this year and have found some lifelong friends xx


And so, to end on an up, a tree of bunny nuggets:






Merry Christmas, my friends!! ♥ ♥ ♥

later on we'll conspire, as we sit by the fire...

Happy Saturday!! I have been looking forward to this day all week because I decided I will only work on bunny nuggets today :) they are honestly my favorite things to knit. They work up so quickly, look cute in any weight yarn, make such great little gifts, and are perfect to use up yarn ends. Some people hexipuff, I bunny nugget :)

Yes, I am ready for Christmas. Our tree has already gone up. I am not sure what possessed Scott, but last week he asked where the tree was and then set it up. We usually wait until after Thanksgiving, but honestly, I am not complaining! I love the holiday season. I love the Christmas lights and decorations. I love the music (I find myself randomly humming lines from Christmas songs...the title of this post is the one that goes through my head the most often!). I don't love the crowds of hurried, angry and tired people.

And I am more than set to start Christmas socks too:

My first purchase from Handdyed by Allie Cat and I couldn't be more in love!! The skein on the left is colorway Sea Monster and the right skein is Twas the Night of the Zombies Before Christmas (hehe)

and I had to make a new Christmas sock sack

and I might have more holiday yarn on the way... :)
(it's this and this!!)  

knit all the Christmas socks!


But first I must finish this pair:

I am about one inch from starting the toe decreases, yay! They will be my last project for Andi's Fall into Fall KAL.


Last time I posted a half finished Kindle cozy.



Pattern: Cabled Kindling by Rachel Ack
Yarn: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Tonal in Nevermore (discontinued colorway)
Needles: US 5
Modifications: I like the cables to be the same size, so I repeated the first nine rows throughout instead of knitting extra knit rows between cable crosses (per pattern).

If you knit this cozy, it will seem TEENY and you might think it will in no way fit over your device. But trust me, it will!! (these fit our Touch and Paperwhite). It is nice and snug and doesn't fall off. I knit mine (pink one) last year and it has loosened up a lot but still a cozy fit. I suppose if you blocked the cozy, it would relax also.

One last thing!! 

A new haircut! :) I still haven't adjusted to it! Sometimes in the morning when I'm groggy, I think it's just pulled back into a bun. Haha! I really like it; I was ready for a change!


Ok, have to get back to bunny nuggets. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!! What are you working on?

Eek, sorry for my blogging absence! I am feeling uninspired; the shorter days are hard to adjust to and they make me feel sluggish. I have a few things to share with you, so maybe I will try to take some good photos this weekend of it all. That's another thing, the past few weeks have been cloudy! (grumps face) so hard for me to not just stay curled on the couch knitting when it's gray out.

I will share a recent stash enhancer:



the colorway is Volcano of Love...isn't that the best name ever?! It was hand-dyed by Tanya of A Yarn Loving Mama. Not sure what I'll knit...socks most likely, maybe some Valentine socks?

I have been back and forth on WIPs....for awhile I was going really heavy on my sweater. Then I knit Scott a cozy for his Kindle:




Now I am back on my Hermione's socks:



I had stopped at the legs, so the other day I turned the heels and finished gusset decreases.

Ok! I'll share more next time. Happy Hump Day!

more dyeing

I am quite hooked.

I dyed these skeins this morning. I tried a new method of putting a few drops of food coloring into the pan with a little bit of water, and then placing the skein on top of the dye. The wool really sucks the color up; it's pretty neat to watch!

and these are some skeins from earlier this week:

this behemoth is half a pile of fiber I spun during the summer

I am seriously infatuated with the dyeing process!

Other than dyeing, I also knit this little bunny from handspun:

it was a teeny skein someone gifted me in a swap package, and it made a very sweet bunny nugget! I still have some left, I could probably squeeze a few more out of it.

I also finished Call the Midwife: Shadows of the Workhouse by Jennifer Worth. There are three books to the series (I haven't read the first one) and this is the second. It has also been developed into a tv series on PBS. I really enjoyed reading this. I expected it to be more of a memoir, and about halfway through, it did read more like one. The first half tells the stories of three people Jennifer Worth came to know, how they survived life in the workhouse, and their lives after. They are very sad but beautiful and moving stories. The second half shows more of her life as a nurse and her very special friendship she makes with one man. I do recommend this book.

 One last thing to share:

This absolutely yummy fiber is from paperdag of Sheep on a Spring. Gahhh!! I can't wait to spin them up! aren't the colors amazing??

I have a short work week, so today is my Friday, woo hoo!!!!
I hope you all have a wonderful day xx

a new adventure: yarn dyeing

All week long I look forward to the weekend :) I know I'm not the only one!

I tried my hand at Kool-Aid dyeing this week. I covet speckled yarn and found a great stove top tutorial through the super cute Hey Porkchop's blog. I used a partial skein of Paton's Classic Wool in white and micro-leftovers of Berroco Cuzco. Technically, I purchased three flavors of Kool-Aid powder mix, but it really turned out to be just two different colors... Tropical Punch is not blue even though the packet is :)

Patons Classic Wool

Berroco Cuzco

I secured the Berroco hank too tightly, and the dye didn't absorb into the yarn under my ties! (above photo) I realized this after I reskeined the hanks.

It was a very fun morning! Dyeing is something I've wanted to do for awhile. I'm glad I finally tried it and I will definitely dye more yarn. I will have my speckled yarn :)

I finished my Halloween socks! This is my eighth pair this year :) I don't think I will reach my goal of thirteen but that's ok. There was something so satisfying about these plain socks; I wanted to knit on them all the time.

Pattern: just a plain vanilla sock, 64 stitches
Yarn: Patons Socks in Bramble Stripes
Needles: 2.25 mm

I really like this yarn. I know it's not the fanciest or the softest, but it makes very durable socks.

I cast on a pair of Hermione's Everyday Socks. If you know me or read this blog, you know how much I adore this pattern! I have knit three pairs already (one was a gift) and they are my favorite socks! They have such nice texture and are just snuggly enough on my feet without being too tight.

Berny loves knitting time too

One more thing, the lovely Jen of figknits is having a sock pattern sale through October, two patterns for the price of one! Click the link for her blog and additional information. I have two of her gorgeous sock patterns and can't wait to cast on :)

Hope you all have a happy and fun weekend!!